Column, pedestal, or similar decorative architectural structure.



PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905.

E. A. MUNNS. COLUMN, PEDESTAL, OR SIMILAR DECORATIVE ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1,1904.

No. 785,695. Patented March 21, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ERNEST A. MUNNS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MURALO COMPANY, OF NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

COLUMN, PEDESTAL, OR SlMlLAR DECORATIVE ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '78 5,695, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed e b 1, 1904. Serial No. 230,933.

whom it y 007M167?" of gypsum. They are variously designated Beitknown thatLERNEsTA. MUNNs, asubin different localities and in different arts as ject of the King of Great Britain, anda resigypsum, alabaster, &c., and are chemicdent of New Brighton, Staten Island, borough ally known under the designation sulfate of and county of Richmond, city and State of l lime. Iprefer the varieties of gypsum rock New York, have invented certain new andusewhich are of low grade that is to say, those ful Improvements in Columns, Pedestals, or which embody, together with the pure gyp- Similar Decorative Architectural Structures, sum, a considerable proportion of impuriof which the following is a specification, refties, such as iron, sulfur, clay, and the like. erence being had to the accompanying drawl The pieces of rock are first preferably roughly ings, in which fashioned into the proper shape to produce Figure I illustrates a view in elevation of a the desired article, and then the interior therecolumn embodying my invention. Fig. 2 l of is hollowed out, as shown at a a, (see Fig. illustrates a vertical sectional view of the col- 2,) leaving the walls of greater or less thickumn shown in Fig. 1 and showing onemethod ness, as desired. They may be cut so thin as in which the same may be constructed and I an eighth of an inch, more or less, or maybe illuminated. three inches, more or less, in thickness. The

In the drawings hereof I show my invenexterior may then be finished and polished, tion as applied to acolumn or pedestal for the if not already done. I then introduce into support of a bust, a vase, or similar article, the hollow interior chamber or chambers of because the invention is well adapted to such the structure some suitable illuminating deuse and is very effective in connection therevice or devices, such as a candle, a lamp, or with. I wish it understood, however, that preferably an electric lamp or a series of this is an example, merely, of many structhem if the article be large. In the drawtures commonly employed for architectural ings I show such an arrangement. 0 is a suitdecoration in which the invention may be able bracket or support, which may be atbeneficially employed-such, for instance, as tached in any suitable manner to any desired newel-posts, balustrades, columns, or pillars part of the structure by which a series of for supporting superstructures and the like. electric lamps cl (Z, suppliedv with circuit-wires A represents the base of the column; B B, e 0, are suitably supported. the shaft thereof; C, the capital, and D the The operation of the invention is as follows: table or top. I show the parts B B, com- TVhen the column, pedestal, or other article posing the shaft, as clamped firmly to the base embodying my invention, whatever it may be, A by metallic rods E E, which pass through is not illuminated, it presents the same appeartransverse metallic plates or webs F and are ance as an ordinary solid article made of the provided with nuts whereby they may be same material would; but upon illuminating screwed up tight. The capital and top or its interior, as by turning on the current, estable parts are in the instance shown merely pecially if the light in the apartment be someset in place upon the shaft, being held there What dim, the effect is startingly brilliant and by gravity and the internestingsurfaces Gr beautiful. Its dead lifeless quality is instantly and G of the parts, respectively. Any other transformed into most brilliant, variegated, method of constructing the structure, whatand intertwined masses of color-red, crimever it may be, and of holding it together may son, green, white, yellow, in fact all the prisbe employed. matic colors most beautifully blended. This In the manufacture of my articles I proceed as follows: I take solid crude rock as it comes from the quarry, of the kind known generically as gypsum, including the entire group of rock having the characteristics result is secured by reason of the property that rock of the gypsum family possesses, being of crystalline structure, of freely transmitting light through its substance, even though several inches in thickness. Thus it is possible under my invention to produce devices or structures for use architecturally of such strength that they are adapted to be used under circumstances in which they will be called upon to resist great strain and permanently carry heavy bodies.

I prefer to ventilate the structure by providing suitable blow-holes, as I call them, (shown at ffi) so that the heat may escape, and I also sometimes, especially if the article be very small, apply to its interior as well as exterior surface liquefied transparent wax, paraffin, or similar material which will penetrate the surface, and thus prevent dust and dirt from entering the structure of the rock, which would have a tendency to reduce the brilliancy of the illumination. I do not illustratethis in the drawings, because I do not apply so much of the paraflin or similar mate rial as will leave an appreciable coating on the surface, only so much as will be taken up by the stone as a filler for its grain. If so much were applied as to leave an appreciable coating on the surface, it would be readily scuffed up, scratched, and defaced with foreign matter being rubbed into it, so that instead of being any improvement it would be a decided detraction.

Of course suitable provision will be made for renewing theelectric lamps should renewal be needed. In the case shown free ac cess may be had to the interior of the column by simply lifting off the table D.

Articles made under my invention when illuminated throw off considerable light. L

They therefore may be used to illuminate the chamber or space in which they are located, producing most beautiful effects.

I claim- 1. As a new article of manufacture a hollow structure made from translucent rock, such as gypsum in its natural state, and means to illuminate the interior thereof.

2. As a new article of manufacture a hollow structure made from translucent rock, such as gypsum in its natural state, coated with translucent material, such as paraffin, and means to illuminate the interior thereof.

3. As a new article of manufacture a hollow structure made from translucent rock, such as gypsum in its natural state, means to illuminate the interior-thereof and means to ventilate the interior thereof.

In testimony whereof I. have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST A. MUNNS.

Witnesses:

F. M. DOUSBAOH, EMMETT CUNNINGHAM. 

